SPRINGFIELD – As the public comment period runs out of time, community members and Springfield Library volunteers continue to voice their concerns to the Springfield City Council in hopes it will halt the proposal to slash library funding by $500,000 in the report of the Mayor’s Fiscal Stability Task Force.
According to the City, the Fiscal Stability Task Force has proposed a $500,000 reduction to the library budget as part of its fiscal stability plan. This recommendation is part of a broader discussion on how to address the city’s projected $4.5 million budget shortfall by fiscal year 2027–28.
During the Nov. 17 city council meeting, teachers, library volunteers, and advocates spoke during the public comment period, imploring the council to reconsider the budget cuts.
Springfield public school teacher Mary Harwood said she has been a library patron since 1975 and is concerned about the potential loss of critical programs the library offers.
“The likely impacts will reduce the library to a mere storage room for old books without in-person programs for children with limited hours and staff,” Harwood said. “The budget committee’s recommendations seem flawed and short-sighted. The city should be looking for innovative ways to bridge the gaps in the budget.”
Callie Ackland, a college student, local nonprofit worker, member of the Springfield Planning Commission, and library supporter, brought a suggestion to the council.
“You’ve heard statistics about how libraries benefit communities, how they support economic development. You’ve heard personal stories from the families you serve, about how they give students and parents important resources. You’ve heard the people ask you to save the library, but now we’ve heard that the city still intends to move forward with cutting the full $500,000,” Ackland said. “So, today I’m imploring you to increase the payroll tax by just .01% in order to generate an additional $400,000, which, as councilor Stout said, ‘Would plug a hole in the library funding.’”
Of the eight public comments at the city council meeting, six were from supporters of the library.
On Monday, Dec. 8, the Springfield City Council will hold a public hearing regarding the proposed payroll tax. Friends of the Springfield Library ask folks looking to engage and support the library to contact their City Councilor directly, attend the public hearing at 6:15 p.m. in City Hall, provide public comments at the Dec. 1 City Council meeting at 7 p.m., write a letter to the editor at The Chronicle, and subscribe to the Friends of the Springfield Library newsletter.
